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Full Idea
The business of philosophy, as I conceive it, is essentially that of logical analysis, followed by logical synthesis.
Gist of Idea
Philosophy is logical analysis, followed by synthesis
Source
Bertrand Russell (Logical Atomism [1924], p.162)
Book Ref
Russell,Bertrand: 'Russell's Logical Atomism', ed/tr. Pears,David [Fontana 1972], p.162
A Reaction
I am uneasy about Russell's hopes for the contribution that logic could make, but I totally agree that analysis is the route to wisdom, and I take Aristotle as my role model of an analytical philosopher, rather than the modern philosophers of logic.
Related Idea
Idea 19577 Everything is a chaotic unity, then we abstract, then we reunify the world into a free alliance [Novalis]
| 10968 | Russell gave up logical atomism because of negative, general and belief propositions [Russell, by Read] |
| 6107 | It is logic, not metaphysics, that is fundamental to philosophy [Russell] |
| 6109 | Some axioms may only become accepted when they lead to obvious conclusions [Russell] |
| 6108 | Maths can be deduced from logical axioms and the logic of relations [Russell] |
| 6110 | Subject-predicate logic (and substance-attribute metaphysics) arise from Aryan languages [Russell] |
| 6111 | As propositions can be put in subject-predicate form, we wrongly infer that facts have substance-quality form [Russell] |
| 6112 | Meaning takes many different forms, depending on different logical types [Russell] |
| 6113 | To mean facts we assert them; to mean simples we name them [Russell] |
| 6114 | 'Simples' are not experienced, but are inferred at the limits of analysis [Russell] |
| 6116 | A logical language would show up the fallacy of inferring reality from ordinary language [Russell] |
| 6115 | Vagueness, and simples being beyond experience, are obstacles to a logical language [Russell] |
| 6117 | Philosophy should be built on science, to reduce error [Russell] |
| 21722 | Better to construct from what is known, than to infer what is unknown [Russell] |
| 6118 | Philosophy is logical analysis, followed by synthesis [Russell] |